Elizabeth (Betty) Anne Babcock (O’Leary), 74, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2020, surrounded by her loving family. Betty Anne was happily married to the late Donald Babcock, her best friend and husband for 48 years. She will be deeply missed by her son, Justin Babcock and wife Kristyn of Carlisle, MA and their two children Chloe and Connor and her daughter, Rachel Fee and husband Christopher of Salem, MA and their three children Zeyah, Lydia and Ellis.
Born in Swampscott, Betty Anne was the daughter of James P. and M. Louise (Ryan) O’Leary. She attended Swampscott High School, class of 1964, and went on to graduate from Salem State College with a B.A. in English. She started her career teaching English at Marblehead High School and then taught English at Salem High School for fifteen years. She also served as the Salem Teachers Union president for several years.
As an educator, Betty Anne brought love, empathy and passion to her classroom. She connected with her students and taught them how to believe in themselves. As union president, Betty Anne led with strength and compassion, faithfully representing her colleagues. She was a force to be reckoned with.
She was a devoted mother, who taught her kids to be confident individuals and to pursue lives filled with joy. In her retirement, Betty Anne and Don moved to their dream home in Braintree, Vermont where they spent time renovating the house and creating beautiful gardens together. They cooked and baked, took their dog Shiva on walks, watched the birds eat at their feeders and searched for frogs with their grandkids in their pond. Together, they brought love and intention to all that they touched, which was felt daily by their friends, children and grandchildren.
In addition to Betty Anne’s daughter and son, she is survived by her brother Terrence O’Leary and wife Barbara Dale of Avon Park, FL; sister-in-law, Carolyn Hooper of Middletown, N.J.; brother-in-law Robert Babcock and wife Luci of Scottsdale, AZ. She was predeceased by her husband Donald Babcock in 2018, brothers, Thomas J. O’Leary and James Bryan (Tim) O’Leary.
Relatives and friends are invited to calling hours on Friday, March 6, 2020 from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M.at the Levesque Funeral Home, 163 Lafayette St. [Route 114 / 1-A] Salem. Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sawtelle Family Hospice House/ Middlesex-East Visiting Nurse Hospice, Gift Processing Center, 41 Mall Rd.,Burlington MA. 01805. For guestbook and additional information, please visit www.LevesqueFunerals.com